diy solar

diy solar

Should be producing more power

bin

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Feb 8, 2022
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I have 12 230w Canadian Solar CS6P Panels, 4 strings of 3 into my combiner box.

I seem to be only producing around 800w on very sunny days and far less than that on overcast ones.

Full sun, 800w-890w…

I had my panels running in 3 strings of 4 last summer with no problem and was producing about 1.8kw max, but this winter it triggered the input over voltage warning on my Growatt 12kw. MPPT open voltage is 145v.

CS6P (my panels)
VOC is 36.8v
So 36.8x4=147.2v
36.8x3=110.4v (in the clear)

I guess I have several questions

Did the cold weather increase my voltage due to less resistance from heat therefore putting my panels over my charge controllers rated voltage? (I have a rather long run from panels to my charge controller so there’s some voltage drop.)

Why am I consistently maxing out at 800w. Is it my panel setup?
Could it be my MC4 cables I crimped the connections on and I did a subpar job?(I needed to make more cables to setup my 1 more string.)

It’s 9pm now, so the sun went sleepy-time.
Tomorrow I’ll have the exact input voltage and amperage to post. Maybe I’ll try it in strings of 4 again.

Always appreciate the help :)
 
Voc goes up as the temperature goes down, hopefully the SCC is not damaged by the over Voltage.
Do you have DC Clamp on Amp meter to check the current of each string? It can be as simple as bad connection.
Are you using combiner box and each string has its own fuse holder that you can use as a disconnector so you can try having just one string feeding the SCC at a time and see the result of each string.
 
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Voc goes up as the temperature goes down, hopefully the SCC is not damaged by the over Voltage.
Do you have DC Clamp on Amp meter to check the current of each string? It can be as simple as bad connection.
Are you using combiner box and each string has its own fuse holder that you can use as a disconnector so you can try having just one string feeding the SCC at a time and see the result of each string.
I’ll have to bring my clamp meter here next weekend. And yes my combiner box is like that.
 
-35C is DRAMATICALLY below standard...
That's 60we need the voc & pmax temp coefficient to get the exact overvoltage...


have 12 230w Canadian Solar CS6P Panels, 4 strings of 3 into my combiner box.

I seem to be only producing around 800w on very sunny days and far less than that on overcast ones.

Full sun, 800w-890w…

I had my panels running in 3 strings of 4 last summer with no problem and was producing about 1.8kw max, but this winter it triggered the input over voltage warning on my Growatt 12kw. MPPT open voltage is 145v.

CS6P (my panels)
VOC is 36.8v
So 36.8x4=147.2v
36.8x3=110.4v (in the clear)

I guess I have several questions

Did the cold weather increase my voltage due to less resistance from heat therefore putting my panels over my charge controllers rated voltage? (I have a rather long run from panels to my charge controller so there’s some voltage drop.)

Why am I consistently maxing out at 800w. Is it my panel setup?
Could it be my MC4 cables I crimped the connections on and I did a subpar job?(I needed to make more cables to setup my 1 more string.)

It’s 9pm now, so the sun went sleepy-time.
Tomorrow I’ll have the exact input voltage and amperage to post. Maybe I’ll try it in strings of 4 again.

Always appreciate the help :)
 
-35C is DRAMATICALLY below standard...
That's 60we need the voc & pmax temp coefficient to get the exact overvoltage...
That second part flew over my little pea brain. But yes it gets stupid cold here.
 
That second part flew over my little pea brain. But yes it gets stupid cold here.
On the panel label there will be the numbers… those will be used in the calculator I posted and tell you how high the voltage will be at -35C
 
-35C is DRAMATICALLY below standard...
-35C = -31F - Dramatic ? For you maybe but not for us. At my place -40C/-40F to +40C/104F swings through the year is common.

1 string of 4x 230W Panels = 920W at best with optimal angle/direction.
but this winter it triggered the input over voltage warning on my Growatt 12kw. MPPT open voltage is 145v.
There is something quite wrong here !
To reach VOC+ the panels must be at a weird angle because if correctly set for Optimal Year-Round Production, then March & September would be the optimal generation months. Because you do not state the nearest Major City (Why don't folks do that, Duhhh) I can give you a couple of examples of what the panels angle should be set to. I am set for Spring/Fall Optimal (fixed ground mount) and I do get to see 100% Capacity coming off my Canadian Solar panels and it does indeed trip the HyperVOC of my Solar Charge Controller. Very Few have this function to handle over voltage & amperage and this is one of the many reasons I chose to use Midnite Solar Classic SCC.
REFERENCE to Midnite Solar HyperVOC technology: https://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/whyHyperVOC.pdf

NOTE: For better analysis and responses, please provide the Make, Model, Version of your Solar Equipment be it Solar Controller & Inverter/Charger or AIO. Panels Specs (Make/Model) and data tag picture on the back is best. How they are configured with angles & direction. Your LOCATION (Nearest City is FINE) and how long the wire runs are from Panel to Combiner and from Combiner to SCC etc.

1652615850574.png1652615956199.png1652616081692.png
 
I think you simply have one 4 panel string connected the rest got incorrectly crimped/connected especially if you crimped the mc4 connectors yourself then you might have not locked them in properly as it's a bit tricky.
 
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